GAME TIME 
Morgan State (5-3, 0-1) will play the reigning MEAC champion Bulldogs of #22/25 South Carolina State (6-2, 1-0) on Thursday, Oct. 29. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Hughes Stadium and will be broadcast live on ESPNU and ESPN Deportes, and radio coverage on WEAA 88.9 FM.

GAME COVERAGE
ESPN+ (online) Click Here | Tiffany Greene will call the play-by-play with color analyst Jay Walker. Kendall Lanier will be the sideline reporter.

RADIO: WEAA, 88.9 FM, is the flagship station for the Morgan State Bears ... Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with Renard Stubbs in the booth. The game will be broadcast live on 88.9 FM and streamed on WEAA.org, HSRN.com, and SiriusXM 386 and 988 on the SiriusXMmobile app. 

LIVE STATS: www.morganstatebears.com

THE SERIES
• Saturday will mark the 46th meeting between the two schools.

• SCSU leads the series against Morgan with an overall record of 36-8-1 since 1971.

• SCSU has won 15 of the last 18 meetings (2003-2024) against the Bears.

• In their last meeting on Nov. 1, 2025, the Bulldogs escaped with a 36-30 win against the Bears in Orangeburg.

THE COACHES
• Damon Wilson enters his 5th season as Morgan's head coach. He previously spent 13 seasons as the head coach at Bowie State University, where he achieved three straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference championships.

• Chennis Berry was named head football coach at South Carolina State University on December 16th, 2023. The former Benedict College (Columbia, SC) head coach succeeded the iconic Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough, the winningest coach in Bulldog football history, who retired as head football coach at the end of the 2023 season after 22 seasons at the helm and 151 wins. 

THE 2026 SCHEDULE
Morgan State will open the 2026 regular season with back-to-back road contests, beginning with a CAA matchup at North Carolina A&T on Aug. 29, followed by an FBS showdown at Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., on Sept. 5. The Bears return home for their home opener against Virginia University of Lynchburg on Sept. 12, before welcoming Robert Morris for Homecoming on Oct. 10. Morgan State will then open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play at home against longtime rival Howard.

QUICK HITS
• The 2026 Morgan State Bears are under the leadership of fifth-year head coach Damon Wilson. Wilson, the 24th coach in school history, previously served 13 seasons as the head football coach at Bowie State. There, he won three straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference championships in 2021, 2019, and 2018; five NCAA playoff berths; and three CIAA Coach of the Year honors.

• Cameron Edge (6-2, 230) was named the starting quarterback for Morgan State, head coach Damon Wilson announced at the conclusion of preseason camp. The competition behind Edge remains ongoing, with Ade Olanegan (6-1, 210) currently listed as the No. 2 quarterback. Tahj Smith (6-1, 200), Raeden Oliver (6-3, 195), Howard Kennedy III (6-1, 204) and Timothy Cole II (5-10, 185) also remain in the mix as the Bears continue to develop depth at the position.

• The Bears have already passed their 2025 win total, after finishing 4-8 overall and 1-4 in MEAC play last year.

• As a result of last Saturday's 26-20 overtime loss against Howard, Morgan State dropped its second straight loss and fell to 5-3 overall and 0-1 in the MEAC.

• Edge directed the Bears' offense in his eighth career start for Morgan State against Howard, completing 23 of 33 passes for 195 yards, including 2 TDs...he also had an interception in OT and was sacked three times.

• RB Keith Jenkins Jr. led the Bears with a game-high 82 yards on 17 carries versus Howard. 

• Justin Perry leads the MEAC with 492 yards on 29 receptions, including three TDs...Joseph Towler ranks No. 3 with 20 catches for 434 yards and leads the league with 6 TD catches.

• Jenkins Jr. had a 95-yard touchdown return against Towson and finished the night by accounting for 213 all-purpose yards. He currently leads the MEAC, averaging 25.1 yards on 22 kick returns.

• Through the opening eight games, Donovan Moyer leads the Bears with six sacks, ranking No. 3 in the MEAC in sacks and tackles for loss (9.0).

• Morgan has several offensive linemen as they enter the 2026 season ... The Bears have 21 OL listed on the roster and will be led by veterans  Adorain Favors (6-7, 300), Alec Washington (6-4, 325), and Daniel Casillas Jr. (6-2, 315).

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
• South Carolina State finished the 2025 season with a 10-3 overall record and posted a 5-0 mark in MEAC play and won their second straight MEAC Championship, including a 40-38 victory in the Celebration Bowl.

• Reigning MEAC champion South Carolina State has been selected as the preseason favorite heading into the 2026 football season. 13 Bulldogs earned recognition on the 2026 Preseason All-MEAC Team. Bulldog linebacker Jordan Franklin earned 2026 MEAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors.

• QB Keely Watson has thrown for 1,368 yards and 11 touchdowns. Through eight games, he has completed 112 of 178 passes (63%) for 959 yards and three interceptions. Watson can stretch the field, highlighted by a 65-yard touchdown pass against Furman, and posted his best statistical outing against The Citadel, throwing for 245 yards and two touchdowns.

• Last time out - The Bulldogs improved to 6-2 (1-0) in MEAC play after using a strong defensive performance and two rushing touchdowns from Mason Pickett-Hicks to defeat Norfolk State 22-7 during Homecoming at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on Willie Jeffries Field. The Bulldogs built a commanding 19-0 halftime advantage before relying on their defense to secure the conference-opening victory.

• RB Mason Pickett-Hicks (Sophomore, "MPH"): Pickett-Hicks leads the MEAC in rushing with 793 yards (No. 12 in FCS) on 108 carries and seven touchdowns. He ranks No. 2 in the nation, averaging an impressive 7.3 yards per carry, making him a key playmaker in the Bulldogs' ground attack.

• Junior DL Ka'Von Chisolm and senior DL Josh Barker anchor a disruptive Bulldogs defensive front that presents a major challenge for opposing offenses. Chisolm leads the MEAC with seven sacks (tied for No. 9 in the FCS), along with 10.5 tackles for loss and 24 total tackles. Barker ranks fifth in the conference with 4.5 sacks and has recorded 6.5 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

• SCSU ranks as the league leader in several statistical categories: No. 1 in scoring offense (40.9), scoring defense (17.6), offense (443.6), defense (246.3), rushing (212.0), rushing defense (94.0), pass defense (152.3), and sacks (24).

• Chennis Berry was an offensive coordinator at Morgan State under head coach Donald Hill-Eley (2006-08).

• South Carolina State is currently ranked in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, and ranks No. 25 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll.

PRESEASON PICKED FOURTH 
Morgan State was picked to finish fourth (4th) in the MEAC standings, according to the poll of the conference head coaches and sports information directors. Returning MEAC champion South Carolina State has been picked to win the MEAC Football Championship as the Bulldogs topped the league's annual preseason poll for 2026. North Carolina Central was tabbed to place 2nd.

PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS
The Bears placed nine student-athletes on the 2026 Preseason All-MEAC Team, as selected by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors. 

• Leading the way were three first-team selections: tight end Alex Simmons, linebacker Arturo Mattocks, and defensive back Aki Harvey.

• The Bears also had five second-team honorees, including running back Keith Jenkins Jr., wide receiver Justin Perry, defensive lineman Justin Dutton, defensive lineman Kristopher Boyd, punter Shane Messenger, and return specialist Malique Leatherbury.

BEARS OPEN 51st SEASON IN MEAC
The Bears will open their 51st season in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) when they host Howard for the conference opener on Oct. 24.

• The Bears opened the 2025 MEAC schedule with a 33-27 loss at Howard (Oct. 25) at Greene Stadium.

• The Bears kicked off their first season in the MEAC in 1971. Morgan State withdrew from the conference at the end of the 1979- 80 fiscal year, before returning to the MEAC in 1984.

MSU IN THE CIAA
Morgan State was a power as a former member of the CIAA. The Bears posted 173 wins between 1929 and 1959 when Edward P. Hurt was the head coach, and the Bears won 14 CIAA championships. Earl Banks added to the championship collection by winning four titles during the 1960s.

MSU LEGEND EARL BANKS
Earl "Papa Bear" Banks was a legendary head coach at Morgan State University,

• In 1960, Banks took over the head coaching position at Morgan State from 2011 Trailblazer Award winner, Edward Hurt.

• In his 14 seasons as head coach, he would lead the Bears to six CIAA titles, one CIAA Northern Division championship, and one Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title. Banks had an overall record of 96-31-2 after he retired from coaching in 1973 and produced three undefeated seasons from 1965 through 1967.

• He guided Morgan State to four bowl games, winning the 1965 Orange Blossom Classic and the 1966 Tangerine Bowl.• He was named the American Football Coaches Association's recipient of the 2018 Trailblazer Award. The award was presented posthumously at the 2019 AFCA Convention in San Antonio, Texas.

BEARS OPEN 127th SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 127th season of football and will open the 2026 campaign under five-year head coach Damon Wilson.

RETURN MEN 
The 2026 Morgan State Bears return 15 starters - 4 on offense, 6 on defense, and 5 on special teams.

CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS 
The Bears enter the 2026 season looking to post their first winning season since going 6-5 in 2009. MSU's 7-6 record in 2014 was vacated.

NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
The Bears will open the 2026 campaign with seven non-conference contests, including four road games. Morgan State begins the season at North Carolina A&T on Aug. 29 before traveling to Arizona State on Sept. 5. The Bears return to Hughes Stadium for their home opener against Virginia University of Lynchburg on Sept. 12, then head back on the road to face Towson on Sept. 19 and Villanova on Oct. 3. Morgan State returns home for Homecoming against Robert Morris on Oct. 10 before wrapping up its non-conference slate against Tennessee State at Nissan Stadium on Oct. 17.

FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE 
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• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official website of Bear athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios, and more. 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 baccalaureate, master's degree, doctorate, and certificate programs. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.